Rumour Mill-Laws Seeks a Grant

Almost predictably Brian Laws has once more been linked with a move for Sheffield Wednesday keeper, Lee Grant. He was believed to have enquired about the 27 year old,former England U21 keeper back in the January transfer window this year but instead finished up by signing Nicky Weaver. Weaver did not play once for the Clarets and has since been released.

The club have also released young youth keepers Danny MacDonald and Jonathan Lund. Brian Jensen has been offered a new contract but has yet to accept. If ‘The Beast’ declines the offer and moves on we will be left with just one goalkeeper, Diego Penny and he is understood to be out of favour at the club.

It is clear therefore that we will need at least one new goalkeeper for next season and Lee Grant is the second keeper we have been linked with this spring. Brian Laws was reported to also be interested in signing Birmingham City`s 38 year old Northern Ireland international keeper Maik Taylor on a free transfer

Sheffield Wednesday, relegated this season to League 1 stand to lose a number of their key players to make ends meet and Lee Grant is one such player.

Brian Laws also of course will be familiar with a number of the players(including Grant)at the club having been their former manager at Hillsborough and will know how the club operates in it’s transfer dealings.

Laws according to the Daily Mail is ready to offer £1.5million for Grant.

Wigan Athletic and other clubs though are also believed to be interested in him.

Grant started his professional career with Derby County and made his debut for the Rams funnily enough against Burnley in September 2002.

Lee Grant actually played for Burnley too during an emergency loan spell in November 2005. You probably won’t remember it though. The then Burnley manager, Steve Cotterill brought him to Turf Moor on a month’s loan from Derby County with his two regular keepers, Danny Coyne and Brian Jensen both unavailable.

He went straight into the team that played Leicester City at Turf Moor on the 19th November and he kept a clean sheet with the Clarets coming out 1-0 winners.

Brian Jensen though returned for the next game after a one match suspension and Grant would see out his loan without playing for the Clarets again.

Grant had another loan spell with Oldham Athletic before eventually leaving Pride Park after his contract expired in July 2007 and was not renewed.

He then signed a three-year contract with Sheffield Wednesday in July 2007,with the manager bringing him to Hillsborough being of course Brian Laws!

There is no doubt Laws is a firm fan of Grant. He reportedly said in January 2008:

“Grant has probably been the most outstanding keeper in the league in terms of current form.”